The bones of the human skeleton serve many important structural and mechanical purposes. Among them, the bones protect organs, provide a frame to support the body; and function along with muscle and tissue to allow parts of the body to move. Unfortunately, bones are often subject to damage, for example, stress fractures due to high force impacts or bone loss due to osteoporosis or bone cancer.
Long bones are generally classified as bones that are longer than they are wide. Long bones in the human skeletal system include the femora, tibiae, fibulae, humeri, radii, ulnae, metacarpals, metatarsals, phalanges and the clavicles. Long bones are crucial for skeletal mobility and, due to their size and location on the body, account for the majority of bone fractures.
Healing of an injured bone involves natural processes. Typically, a fracture treatment regimen consists of restoring the fractured pieces of bone to their natural positions (if necessary), and maintaining those positions while the bone heals. Typically, this process involves aligning the bone portions into suitable positions to facilitate healing and verifying the improved alignment with an X-ray. Once the bone portions are in position to heal, the bone, surrounding tissue and adjacent joints can be stabilized to prevent movement and preserve anatomical alignment. Typically, the stabilization period varies depending on the type of injury. In some cases, only temporary stabilization is required. For example, some injuries may sufficiently heal in about 4-6 weeks. On the other hand, some injuries may require permanent stabilization.
Apparatus for stabilizing a bone can include plaster or fiberglass casts and metal splints. In addition, surgical nails, screws, plates and wires are often implanted surgically to directly hold the fractured bone together. Also, for some types of long bone fractures, external fixators have been employed. In some cases, permanent stabilization can be achieved by affixing a metal plate or rod directly to the exterior of a fractured bone, for example, using screws to attach the plate or rod to the bone. The plate or rod can then be left permanently implanted within the body to promote healing and add needed structural support to the damaged area.
In addition to the techniques described above, intramedullary rods have been used to stabilize bone injuries (and thereby promote healing) and add structural support. As the name implies, an intramedullary rod is a metal rod that is forced into the medullary cavity of a bone, typically a long bone, and affixed therein, typically using screws. The screws, however, can be damaging to the bone and can result in mechanical failure and/or biological incompatibility.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be implanted into a damaged bone to stabilize the bone and provide structural support for the bone and the surrounding areas. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be positioned within a long bone to straddle a bone fracture with attachment points on each side of the bone fracture. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an intraosseous device positionable to straddle a bone fracture with attachment points that are relatively non-invasive to the bone structure. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intraosseous expandable fixation device that is easy to use, is relatively simple to manufacture, and is comparatively cost effective.